The bill permits a veteran to appeal within one year by: (1) requesting a review of the agency of original jurisdiction's (AOJ) decision by a higher-level adjudicator within AOJ using the same evidentiary record; (2) filing a supplemental claim with a regional office that includes the opportunity to submit additional evidence and have a hearing; or (3) appealing directly to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, with the opportunity to select an expedited review to submit new evidence but without a hearing, or to select a review with the option to submit new evidence and request a hearing.

A veteran may: (1) maintain the original effective date of a claim if he or she submits new and relevant evidence within one year of the most recent decision, and (2) retain the services of attorneys and accredited agents who charge a fee when the AOJ provides notice of the original decision.

The VA's statutory duty to assist a veteran terminates after the original decision.

The bill: (1) requires the VA to issue decision notification letters, (2) permits certain veterans who initiated an appeal prior to the bill's effective date to opt-in to the modernized appeals system, (3) authorizes the VA to conduct a pilot program to test such system, and (4) requires the VA, prior to full implementation, to certify to Congress that it has sufficient resources and personnel to carry out the legacy and modernized appeals systems.

]]>2018-02-07T21:04:28Z2017-05-02T04:00:00Z002017-05-02Introduced in HouseIntroduced in House2019-01-10T14:27:17ZHouse2017-05-02Armed Forces and National Security115745SAMDTIn the nature of a substitute.Amendment SA 745 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.2017-08-011313RichardBlumenthalCTSen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]B0012772076B00127783322017-08-01TrueDJonTesterMTSen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]T000464T000464182982582017-08-01TrueDPATTYMURRAYWASen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]M00111182371409M0011112017-08-01TrueDDeanHellerNVSen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]H001041H001041186380602017-08-01TrueRMargaretHassanWoodNHSen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]H0010762302H0010762017-08-01TrueDCLARENCENELSONWILLIAMFLSen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]N000032N00003285982362017-08-01TrueDAngusKingMESen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]K000383K00038321852017-08-01TrueIRICHARDDURBINJ.ILSen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]D000563326D00056383262017-08-01TrueDTOMUDALLNMSen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]U000039U000039826015672017-08-01TrueDMartinHeinrichNMSen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]H00104619378056H0010462017-08-01TrueDJoeDonnellyINSen. Donnelly, Joe [D-IN]D00060779411850D0006072017-08-01TrueDClaireMcCaskillMOSen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]M001170M001170825218202017-08-01TrueDSHERRODBROWNOHSen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]B0009448309136B0009442017-08-01TrueD2288115HHRVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017House2017-08-01T04:00:00Z2019-01-10T14:27:17Z74505111112017-08-01S.Amdt.745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/745SA 745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/7450SenateAmendment SA 745 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.Floor2017-08-01S.Amdt.745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/745S4674-4680https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-163/senate-section/page/S4674-4680S4687https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-163/senate-section/page/S4687SA 745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/7450SenateAmendment SA 745 proposed by Senator Portman for Senator Isakson. (consideration: CR S4687; text: CR S4674-4680) In the nature of a substitute.Floor2017-08-01Senate amendment agreed to: Amendment SA 745 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.940009Library of CongressFloor2017-08-01S.Amdt.745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/745SA 745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/745Senate amendment proposed (on the floor): Amendment SA 745 proposed by Senator Portman for Senator Isakson.(consideration: CR S4687; text: CR S4674-4680)930009Library of CongressFloor2017-08-01S.Amdt.745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/745S4674-4680https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-163/senate-section/page/S4674-4680S4687https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-163/senate-section/page/S4687SA 745https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/745Senate amendment submitted910009Library of CongressFloor2017-08-016GA1608I0000558323JohnnyI000055IsaksonSen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA]R115In the nature of a substitute.SAMDTSenate1.0.02017-08-02T04:36:33Z2017-08-01T04:00:00Z2017-05-19T15:53:00ZH.R. 2288, Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52741Short Titles as EnactedVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017Short TitleShort Titles as Passed SenateSVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017SenateShort Titles SenateShort Titles as Passed HouseHVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017HouseShort Titles House of RepresentativesShort Titles as Reported to HouseHVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017HouseShort Titles House of RepresentativesShort Titles as IntroducedVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017Official Title as IntroducedTo amend title 38, United States Code, to reform the rights and processes relating to appeals of decisions regarding claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.Display TitleVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017(Extracted from GPO) Short Titles as Passed HouseHVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017House(Extracted from GPO) Short Titles as Reported to HouseHVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017House(Extracted from GPO) Short Titles as IntroducedVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017U00084HR2017-08-01T23:49:18ZDischarged from2017-05-24T16:35:14ZReferred toSenateStandingssva00Veterans' Affairs Committee2017-05-19T17:07:20ZReported by2017-05-17T13:24:50ZMarkup by2017-05-02T14:03:10ZReferred toHouseStandinghsvr00Veterans' Affairs Committeetext/xmlENPursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.Congressional Research Service, Library of CongressThis file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.